


Find your way home

by Raineywrites



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Dream Smp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 07:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30068856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raineywrites/pseuds/Raineywrites
Summary: They need to find their  way home. Learning quickly home is not a place but people. When Dream and his group find a radio it gives them hope to get a response. After swearing he could have heard his sister, tubbo needed to get to America. It’s a little harder when there are dead walking the earth.
Kudos: 2





	1. Reunited

They were scared out of their minds. Just kids, nothing more. This year however, all they wanted was to be more. Be like Tommy’s older brothers. He hissed sharply as he looked away from his arm. They both knew it was a bad idea but they had no choice. They were reaching a year since the outbreak and they were running out of food.

“You have to be more careful.” Shaking her head while she looked at him. “I swear Tommy. Every day you scare the life out of me.” 

“Sorry mum.” 

Looking down as he watched her clean his injury. He had gotten caught on some metal while they were running. 

She just smiled. Standing up after she had finished changing out his bandage. 

“Go rest up okay?” Ruffling his blonde hair. “I promise, tomorrow we can go looking for your dad.” 

“Can we actually?” Tubbo spoke up as he sat up in his bed. “We haven’t seen them in so long.” 

“Yes actually, but you know why.” She looked at the other boy who was nursing a sprained wrist. “He said it would be safer if we stayed here.” 

“Yeah with no food.” 

It was a constant fight. Tommy was too hot headed for his own good. He always wanted to be out on the front line with his dad. He didn’t want his dad to be alone, of course Phil was never alone. He had Tommy’s older brothers with him. They were good at what they did.

“I just wanted to get some food for us. It’s been three days, the last thing we need is for us to start starving.”

“Tommy I know okay. I know.” She shook her head while she closed up the kit. “It sucks and we’re in a pickle. We can’t just leave, we have to be smart about it. It’s me, you, tubbo, and your sister. She’s so small, she can’t fight on her own. So we have to travel in daylight and quickly.” Kissing Tommy’s head. “We’ll leave tomorrow okay? Your dad left me a detailed map of things we should pass in order to get to them.” 

“Are we taking the car?” Tubbo asked while he laid back in the bed. 

“Yes. Well hike to it tomorrow.” 

A year had passed since the outbreak. If there was something Phil was good at, it was protecting his family. They were stuck in a city, the giant buildings and unpredictable mobs that would come out of nowhere. Around six months ago Phil started to clear a path for his family. Giving them a safe passage. They would only travel a few kilometres a day. 

On the first day, Phil, Wilbur, and techno would clear mobs of the undead.

Day two would be Phil would be writing down major landmarks they should see to know they’re going on the same path. 

Day three, Wilbur and techno I would stay in the hideout and secure it while Phil made his way back to give his wife the map. Then promptly leaving, makin sure the path was clear again for the younger ones of their family. 

Day four. Kristin would get their youngest ready while tommy and tubbo packed up all the essentials and they would make they’re way to a car Phil had secured a while back. It was the safest way to get their daughter to the next point. The car would always be hidden a little bit away from wherever they had been hiding out. They didn’t need someone finding them due to the working car near their temporary hide outs.

Unfortunately. Day four passed. Then day six. Next thing they knew it had been a week and a half since they last saw Phil. They only knew him and the other sons were still alive because every day when the sun was at its peak, Phil had to check in on a radio. To avoid wasting battery, Phil would just press the button three times to tell them the three of them were safe. One button press for each of them.

Tommy looked down, feeling someone tugging on his leg. Smiling as he reached down to lift the girl into his lap. 

“Hey love bug.” 

She was only five years old. Just a little kid, he knew that he could never risk anything because of her. His dad would kill him if she lost a brother. 

She didn’t say anything back to him. She just cuddled in his lap, she spent her day reading and practicing her writing with their mum. She always did this when someone was hurt, or if there was yelling. Giving them physical love and affection to make them feel better. 

When the door flung open and her family would come crashing in hurt her. It always scared her, so young to be a world like this. To see her family yelling and injured all the time.

Sitting quietly while tubbo was turned over. Falling asleep pretty quickly. He was tired. The last bit of their rations was given to the youngest. If she didn’t complain about being hungry it made life so much easier for the three. 

They waited until morning. Waiting for sunlight to leave, making their way to the car. Tommy was shoving clothes into a bag until his mum stopped him. Folding It all, making the most space. He lined the inside with a blanket. Holding it open as Kristin finishes dressing her in warm clothes. Winter was the worst. 

“In you go.” Nodding towards the youngest. “Come on.” 

She yawned. It was barely sunrise, she held onto a small bee plush while she climbed inside the bag. They had backpacking gear, pretty helpful in these times. Before everything they would go out hiking as a family. After they started traveling across the country to get somewhere safe, they started putting the youngest kid in the biggest pack. She was very small so she fit pretty well. Her head usually poked out, resting on the shoulder of whoever was carrying her. 

Tubbo smiled at her before putting headphones on her head. They were ones construction workers used to use. They put them on so she wouldn’t get scared by loud noises. The last thing they needed was her crying and attracting unwanted attention. 

Tommy stood up, with the help of tubbo he got the bag on. Kristin wrapped a few straps under his shoulders and another around his torso, under the daughter's arm. Securing the daughter in place. Making sure she didn’t move much. She has gotten pretty good at sleeping through these long hikes. Tommy was 16 years old, but after everything, he was pretty good with a gun. He only fired it a few times. Phil made sure all his kids knew how to use one. Even elise, the youngest.

“Quiet. Only sound off when I call for you okay?” Kristin looked at boys. In her pack were blankets they used to block out windows, fire starters, the rationed water. She had a machete and rile. “It should only be about forty minutes to the car, okay. Tubbo takes up the rear. If anything happens-“ 

“Protect Elise.” The boys repeated. 

“Good.” 

She opened the door to the store front they had been staying in. In the back room there used to be makeshift beds techno and Wilbur made. Everything was broken down now. No trace of them. Keeping her gun raised up as she walked. She could hear the footsteps of the boys so she didn’t look back. 

Walking quietly, copying the footsteps of Kristin while they walked. They stayed silent. Every few minutes Kristin would tell the boys to stop and go ahead, calling out quietly for them to come forward when it was safe. She said 40 minutes max, but it ended up being longer. Following phils instructions to get to the car was harder than she thought today. He must have gone further than he usually did. 

The boys were getting tired. The three had barely eaten anything. They had nothing to burn, not to mention they were in a lot of pain. 

“Just up here.” Kristin called out to them as she saw the tarp that covered the car. It was covered in leaves to hide it from other people. “Tubbo and tommy go first.”

They didn’t question. The two boys learned not to, it never ended well if they did. Tommy got in the back seat after tubbo pulled off the tarp. Tossing the keys to Kristin. 

“Is she still asleep?” 

“Yeah. Out like a light.” Tommy nodded as he took off the pack. Laying it down gently on the seat. 

They worked quickly. They always did. There was a clearing. Phil and the two others would work on moving cars out of the way and making an obvious path only to Kristin on where she should drive. 

“Cover up the windows.” Handing Tommy a few coverings while Kristin started the car. 

He rolled down the windows while he put a bit of the fabric in the opening. It would be considered dangerous to drive like that but it felt safer for Elise. The longer she stayed asleep the easier it was for them. She was a very nocturnal kid. 

It was quiet for a bit. Tommy could never sleep during car rides anymore. Not after they got swarmed in their last car. It made him so on edge to be in one. But it was the fastest way to get to their dad and brothers. At his point tubbo was considered family. He always was, he was tommy's best friend. He would spend so much time stealing the good snacks from phils pantry with tommy after school. Phil went to every meet tubbo had, the two families used to be so close. Then tubbo watched his dad tell him to run for his life half a year ago. Phil promised the father that he would look after tubbo and keep him safe. Tubbo didn't even know where his sisters were. All he remembered, two weeks before the outbreak his mother and sisters went to the states. They were on a ‘girl trip’. Lani had always wanted to see Los angeles. He hoped she got to see it before she passed. It was uncertain if they were alive or not. However, he didn't like getting his hopes up. So he just assumed that they had died. It was easier than imagining them struggling to survive like he was right now. 

“Tommy you should rest.” tubbo looked in the back seat. “You barely slept last night.”

“Im fine.” 

The blonde shook his head. Tubbo didn't say anything else. They were close like brothers, Tommy cared about tubbo a lot. And due to the fact it was cold and winter, Tommy and tubbo often shared a bed. They couldn't keep fires going for too long. The last thing they wanted was people finding them. So it became routine, Tommy and tubbo would climb into the same bed. It was that or freeze. It was also comforting, tubbo found a lot of comfort in the way Tommy would hold him at night. If Tommy ever lost tubbo, there would be nothing else for him to live for. He needed his brothers to survive. They made him want to keep going. Last night however, Tommy had been awake all night. Any time the tubbo would turn over or move, Tommy was wide awake.

They were quiet for most of the car ride. Elise stayed asleep as long as she could before Tommy was reading her books. Phil, wilbur, and techno really went far. they were completely outside of the city now. 

The trees passed by as they drove. Kristin was getting tired. Having been driving for a few hours, they had stopped once so far to refill the gas tank. they were trying to be quick. Kristin drove pretty fast, she pretty much kept her speed over 80 while checking for the landmarks that Phil wrote down. 

“How much further?” Tommy asked while he looked at kristin. “The sun went down hours ago.”

“Only two more landmarks until we have to hide the car then a little walk.” she smiled at him as she got back in the car. Locking all the doors shook her head. “Tubbo. Hun do you think you can drive for a bit?”

“Yeah of course mum.” 

Sighing as they switched spots. As soon as Kristen got in the passenger seat. Elise was complaining she was hungry. Of course she hasn't eaten in almost a day. They didn't have any food for her anymore. 

“I know babe. But you have to wait until we get to daddy okay?” she asked as she turned to look at the youngest of her children. “I know it sucks but we don't have any more food.”

“Can i have water?” elise asked next. Smiling when Kristin nodded a bit. Reaching into her bag to hand her a small blue water bottle with paw patrol characters on it. “Thank you mummy.”

A few more words were spoken before it got quiet. Elise snuggling herself in tommy arms while she just looked at him. He was looking back at her, they did this alot. She was an odd kid, but that was okay. There was nothing normal anymore. Finding out more about his sister as she aged was nice. She liked to watch people, she hated when people cried. She loved the colour red because it reminds her of tommy. Her favorite food is bread and she almost never cries anymore. She's a good listener, an even better hider. She likes when tommy reads to her, she loves it when wilbur sings to her. She liked to play tag, but never too loud. She hates loud noises. She has only ever seen an undead walking five times. She closes her eyes so she doesn't have to see them. If they're hiking for a long time, she will ask whoever is carrying her pack to close the top because bright light for too long hurts her eyes. She was a good kid, to tommy it's fucked up that she has to grow up this way. 

Two more hours passed before they got to a wooded area, there was an obvious cleared out space where they were to hide the car. Tommy threw the tarp over it. Covering it up as best he can. He was about to put elise back in her pack but before he could she was jumping out of the car. She didn't yell, she never yelled. She ran towards something. Kristin was about to stop her but her movements halted as they saw the dark figure lift the girl up. 

“About time. You guys took forever.” 

“Wilbur.” tubbo sounded so relieved as he dropped his bag to hug him. “Oh my god i missed you.”

“Hey tubs.” hugging Tubbo with one arm while Elise was being held up by his other. “I'm sorry we were apart for so long guys.”

“Where's dad.” Tommy asked immediately while picking up his bag. Getting out a flashlight so they weren't completely in darkness. 

“Just up the road. He's asleep, he was on watch for you guys all day.”

They started walking. Wilbur seemed well, like he wasn't hungry or tired. He was even clean, he smelled good. It was quiet as they walked. They didn't want to raise any alarm, they just wanted to sleep. The three were so tired. Tired, hungry, and just done with the day. 

Looking at the house before them. There was no way they just found this, there was a fence with spikes all around it. It was lit up, there was power. A good smell was coming from it too. It smelled like cooking. It looked warm and inviting. Just a regular house in the middle of nowhere. 

“Your back.” techno immediately reaching his hands out for the youngest sibling. “What took you so long.”

“It was a long trip. There were two pages of instructions.” krisitn shook her head. 

Handing elise over the fence, Wilbur opened the gate once his hands were free. Motioning for the others to go ahead of him. Everyone had a softness for the daughter of the group. She was little and deserved love. When everything happened they all seemed to agree that her survival was the most important thing. 

“Woah.” Wilbur put his hand on the barrel of Tommy's gun. “Dude don't just point your gun at people.”

“Who is that?” his words sounded cold. The tommy who was so full of life and loud when they were younger no longer existed. Maybe he did, but only deep down. “Who are you?”

Tommy refused to lower it. Lowering it only so wilbur wasn't touching it. Aiming it at a girl with blonde hair and a striped sweater. She flinched a bit, looking at the three that had showed up. Kristin and Tubbo followed tommys actions. One thing Phil taught them was to never trust anyone. Three guns being pointed at a poor girl's head was scary.

“She's a friend.” wilbur started. “Put your guns down. This is her house.”

“I don't want to hurt anyone, I promise. Phil told us we should be expecting four people in the evening. I promise i don't have any bad intentions. I just wanted to come see what all the noise was.” 

“Put your guns down.” 

The voice of the father spoke up from behind her. He couldn't sleep for very long knowing he'd get to see his family again. He hated splitting up with them. However it felt like the safest way to go about it. If they all were together when a hoard attacked them he couldn't live with himself if he survives. 

“Now tommy.” he always needed to speak louder than tommy to get him to listen. Tommy might be the youngest brother. But at least he knew if anything happened to him, Tommy would be there to protect his family for phil. “She saved us okay.”

“Me and my brother did.” the girl spoke again. Watching the guns were lowered. Tommy flicking the safety of his pistol on. “Im nikki. My brother is ranboo.”

“Ranboo?” Tommy repeated. “What kind of name is that.”

“Tommy dont be rude.” Wilbur muttered before hitting him upside the head. 

“Don't hit your brother.” Kristin smacked his arm in response. 

“Don't hit tommy.” elise pouted and threw her bee at wilbur. “That's mean.”

Wilbur looked at her and sighed. Picking up the plushie for her. “Sorry.”

“Get inside please. It's late.” Nikki spoke up. “Plus the food is going to get cold.”

“Food?!”

The five year old squirmed in technos arms. He dropped her before she ran past the woman to her dad. The old man smiled and picked her up. Disappearing inside the house with her. Kristin went to follow. Tubbo was hungry and tired so he didn't even bother fighting. 

“Sorry we just ask you to leave your weapons in the closet.” Nikki stopped them before the rest could come inside. “You're safe here I promise.”

“Listen lady-” Tommy started but his dad shouted down the hallway at him. He grumbled before taking his weapons and throwing them in the closet. 

“Tommy, we are safe, I promise. They could have just left dad for dead but they didn't.” Wilbur attempted to reason with him. “Please just trust us. Would we put you in any danger for no reason?”

Tommy looked at his older brother. He didn't say anything, the look on his face made it clear he wasn't impressed. Tommy was too bitter already for his age. He was skeptical and did not believe anyone would ever do something out of the good of their heart. 

“Well?” the older brother started again. “After everything we've been through. Would dad trust someone blindly?”

“No.”

“Would he put his family in danger?”

“No.”

“Good. now that we are on the same page. Shut up, stop being rude to people who didn't have to help us. Go sit in the kitchen and let her get you some food.” 

It pained him. He could see how tired Tommy was. How exhausted he was. Tommy needed to sleep and eat something. The twins hated that instead of a few days it was a week and half, they knew that their rations were low and they were just generally struggling. It wasn't fair to them. 

Tommy went down the hallway. It was an odd site. Almost a year and they hadn't seen electricity in so long. It felt so odd. 

Their kitchen looked nice. It was stocked and there were plates of food waiting for the people who had just shown up. They had running water and heat. It was weird to be warm for once. Instead of looking for heat via fire, tommy and tubbo were just warm. 

“Here.” Nikki held a plate to tommy. When he didn't take it she placed it on the table next to phil. “It's a deer, I promise it's good. Potatoes and some steamed vegetables.” 

Unlike Tommy, tubbo almost couldn't help himself. It had been four days now with no food and barely any clean water. Phil felt his heart break a bit. He couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for them. Shoveling food into his cheeks like someone would take it away from him. He was barely chewing. 

“I gotta go check on our traps before I call it a night.”

Nikki spoke quietly as they left the room. Leaving the family to reunite and talk. Trying to spend time together. It felt different. Until now they hadn't really starved the way they did. They had never been apart for more than a few days. Tommy's trust was broken just slightly. He didn't touch the food. 

“Tubbo. Sweetheart can you just chew a little more? I don't want you to choke.” 

Kristin rubbed his back. Techno offering the hungry boy water. He didn't slow down, he took the cup and downed it in seconds. They all knew he wasn't going to slow down, he was just a hungry kid. 

“Here.” Tommy slid his plate across the table to him. “Im not hungry.”

“Tommy.” wilbur started. 

“I'm not hungry.” he said it again with more firmness. Looking around the table. Elise was eating her food but with the help of phil. They haven't had a hot meal in so long. “It's fine. You're hungry, eat.” 

Tubbo looked at Tommy for a second. Nodding his head again at tubbo. The boy took the plate, he was a little self conscious about eating so much. But his stomach was hurting so bad, he just wanted it to stop. Tommy looked at his lap. Staying quiet while elise was going on and on about the long car ride and all the trees they had seen. She loved trees. 

“Tommy you have to eat something.” Wilbur whispered as he crouched next to the chair. “I know it's weird. And it's weird to think you're safe. But it's okay you can eat.”

He just shook his head. “Im not hungry.”

Kristin watched her sons. Thinking about what had happened just before they left. The way that Tommy and tubbo had been running for their lives hours before they came to find their family. Sighing as she spoke up. Phil stopped cutting up the food for elise when his wife started talking. 

“We were running out of food. When I was reading with Elise, Tommy left. He didn't tell me and i didnt know where he went. Tubbo woke up from a nap and realised he was gone so he also left. He found him, but Tommy knocked over a self in a store and they almost died. He was looking for food because the last of our rations we had been giving to elise.” 

“Tommy.”

“Dont.” she started again. Cutting her husband off, knowing he was about to get mad at him for it. “He remembered the three rules. Three weeks without food, three days without water. I'm pretty sure the last thing he wanted was to watch his mom and siblings starve and die due to dehydration. He needs stitches. There's a cut on his arm that's really bad and tubbos wrist is sprained.”

“It was scary.” Elise looked up at phil. “Tommy was crying,”

Phil kissed her head. “Go sit with mum. I'll be right back.``He placed her on the floor before she climbed into kristins lap. “Tommy, come with me.”

“Dad.” Both Wilbur and techno started. They were scared Phil was going to yell at him. It wasn't impossible for that to happen. There had been a few times tommy had been just stupid when it came to doing things. 

“Shut it.” Phil told them as he got up. 

He left the room, and Tommy got up silently to follow him. He could hear elise talking again as soon as they were out of the kitchen. He kept his head down, he could feel it. Phil was going to yell at him. He didn't want to be yelled at. He wasn't in the mood for it. 

“I'm sorry. I know you said to stay inside but I couldn't. Mum was so hungry I could see it. It wasn't fair. She's done nothing but be the best mum she can, I didn't want to watch her die.” 

Before Tommy could continue, Phil just pulled him into a hug. Sometimes he forgot the reality of their situation. How easily he could lose one of his sons. 

“I know. I know tommy. It's okay.” 

Tommy held onto his dad as long as he could. He could pretend that he was strong and nothing moved him. But hearing tubbo screaming his name while they were running for their lives was scary and it hurt. Tommy wouldn't know how to live if he lost someone to his own stupidity.

It was Quite for the rest of the night. Tommy followed the woman Nikki up to a room that they had gotten ready for them. There were two beds, one for tubbo. One for tommy. She left him alone in the room since he was just tired. 

“I'll be right back okay? Your mum said you needed stitches so I'm gonna go grab our medical bag and i'll come patch you up and you can go to bed okay?” he watched her. With a dead face, he didn't say anything back to her. “Okay. good conversation. Are you sure you don't want to eat anything?”

She waited for him to shake his head. Watching him drop his pack right next to the clean bed. She just nodded and left, going to the bathroom to get what she needed to clean him up. Returning to the room, Tommy was changed into another outfit. All his clothes were dirty and all his stuff smelled horrible. The last time he took a bath was months ago and in some shitty little pond. He wore a change of clothes and was sitting on the bed. The cut on his arm was bad and the bandages looked worse. 

“Its okay.” she told him softly. “I'm just going to fix you up. Your dad said none of you know how to do stitches. If i dont clean it 'll get infected.”

He was traumatized. Everyone was, they lived in a world where they could die any moment in the worst way. He flinched away from her touch. He didn't want her to touch him however he knew she was right. 

This was by far the worst cut she ever had to stitch up. The skin was an angry red, mad that Tommy had not treated it better. If they didn't end up here the infection would have killed him. She handed him one of the clean towels. Letting him know it was going to hurt. It wasn't going to feel nice. It was going to hurt like bitch. 

Biting down on the fabric, Tommy felt like his arm was going to fall off. It hurt more than he thought it would. Pouring disinfectant on the cut. He wanted to scream but tried to avoid doing so. 

“I’m sorry we don’t have pain killers.” 

She tried to be gentle. It was easier said than done. Honestly nikki would have preferred if he took a shower after they were done with the stitches. But he was tired. Leaving him alone after she finished with the first aid treatment.

Passing out, he just wanted the day to be over. He couldn't tell how much time had passed but he stirred awake when he left the bed shift. Going to sit up, tubbo stopped him.

“You're okay. It's just me.” pulling the blanket back up to Tommy's chin. “Elise is asleep. Mum and dad are talking with Nikki and her brothers. Wilbur and techno are in bed, we don't have to worry about keeping watch tonight.;”

Tommy hummed in response. “Are you going to sleep in that bed there?”

Neither of them wanted to admit it, but it became a comfort thing for them to share a bed. Neither could sleep without each other. Tubbo shook his head in response. 

“Unless you want to sleep alone.”

Tommy shook his head more. He was in pain and just tired. He wanted his best friend and brother to hug him right now. He needed it. He would go ask his mum to hold him usually but she was busy it seemed. 

“Then i'll sleep here.” 

He told Tommy to give him a few minutes. Changing out of his day clothes before getting into the bed. Seeing Tommy cry was a very rare occurrence. He never cried. However the second tubbo got into the bed with him, Tommy clung to the shorter one and just let out a few tears. 

This past week by far was the hardest week he has ever lived. 

Tubbo just rubbed his back and did his best to soothe him. Tommy essentially cries himself to sleep. When he didn't hear any more small sniffles and noises coming from him, tubbo let himself fall asleep.


	2. Hell all over

There was chaos. It was loud and she was gripping her Mums hand for dear life. Following her sister and mum as they push through the crowd. Being forced into a closed off area by the American military. So much was happening at once.

“Lani?” She felt the girls hand being ripped from hers. “Lani! Tegan where is your sister?” 

“I don’t know.” The oldest started turning in circles as if that would make Lani appear. Screaming out her sister's name.

Tegan was the oldest sibling, she felt this unbelievable urge to protect her younger siblings. She hoped that whatever was happening here wasn’t happening in the uk. She hoped tubbo and her dad were safe. 

“Mum!” It only took one second for the pushing to be too much. Lani was so small in his huge crowd. “Mum where are you!” 

They heard the cries from the youngest daughter but they didn’t know where they were coming from. There was so much noise, to many people. Her voice was drowned out as she got further away. 

Lani looked around. Stumbling over her feet. Being pushed into a man that wore a bright green hoodie. Looking down, he could see the fear behind the girls eyes. They were all scared but she was just a kid. No one else was taking even a second to stop, she was going to get trampled if she wasn’t careful. 

“I’m sorry.” She tried to back away from him but there was nowhere to go. “I’m just trying to find my Mum.” 

“That’s okay.” He put his arm around her and pulled away from being pushed around. Giving her a shield since he was tall and able to keep his balance better. “What does she look like?” 

“Uh.” Lani tried to think. Looking at the two men who were with this one. “Like a little taller than me. She had dark hair and a pink shirt on. She had a- a crossbody bag and she's with another girl who looks like me but with shorter hair.” 

“Okay, I’ll find your mom okay.” He tried to smile to get her to calm down. “I’m Clay. These are my friends George and sapnap, well his name is nick. Right now the military is trying to get us boxed in somewhere for safety. If anyone asks George is your older brother okay. If they ask for ID you say you don’t have it. You were just having a day at universal.” 

“What why George.” 

“Because shes british dumbass. So is George. If we say she’s your sister it won’t make any sense.” Clay looked at Lani again. “What’s your name?” 

“Lani.” 

“Okay Lani. I want you to hold George’s hand and don’t let go okay. Stay with Nick and George, I’m going to find your mom. Where did you see her last?” 

“Just at that piller.” 

Pointing with her free hand after holding George’s. Clay nodded before pushing through the crowd. Trying to scan for the woman in a pink shirt and another Lani but with short hair. There was so many people he couldn’t see very well. But he kept pushing through. Stopping any woman who had a pink shirt, asking if she was lanis mom. 

“Is he going to find her?” 

“He’s going to try. I'm sure he’ll find her. Dream is good at helping.” Nick told the girl. The three of them had stopped where they were, letting people pushing around them to get inside the barriers. “It’s going to be fine.” 

George didn’t know how to help much. This was scary, no one was telling them why they had to follow the military, it was being done. He came from britian to visit his friends and now he might never return home. 

“Your British. What are you doing in America?” George tried to change the subject. “Are you just taking a holiday?” 

Lani nodded. George had wrapped his arms around her to avoid someone pushing her. Sapnap and George shielding the girl from the crowd. 

“Yeah. Just a holiday. We went to California, I always wanted to see the Hollywood sign. But my sister wanted to come to Florida, she wanted to go to universal.” 

Lani told them about her holiday. Trying not to cry or let it be seen that she was scared. However she was scared, she was scared out of her mind and didn’t know what to do. Hearing a gunshot, the crowd stopped for a second, a lot of people ducking as if to take cover. They were sitting ducks. 

“Are you lanis mom?” Dream whispered as he grabbed a woman’s arm. Pink shirt, brown crossbody purse. A younger girl who looked lani. “Lani? She’s a little British girl. She got separated from her mom.” 

“Lani?” The woman asked again. Shaking her head, they were both a little in shock. Coming from a country with stricter gun laws, hearing a real gunshot wasn’t as common. “Lani. Yes yeah. I’m her mum, where is she?” 

“Shes with my friends. Come on.” 

He held the women’s hand while he shoved his way through the crowd. Looking for his friends, he had a bad feeling about following the military. It felt like a terrible idea. He grew up too cautious and too aware of the American government. 

“They were right here.” 

“Where did they go?” The mother looked around. “Where’s Lani?” 

The three looked towards the edge of the crowd. George was yelling for them. Waving at them, Clay decided they needed to be quick. He would see his dad with George. Of course, Clay trusted his parents. His dad knew too much. If his dad was here, it meant something bad was happening. 

“That way. Quick.” 

Going first, the six foot three man was essentially pushing people out of his way. He felt awful about it, but he knew that something didn’t feel right about all these people being pushed into a confined space. 

“In the car.” His dad said immediately. “Who are these people?” 

“Just a scared girl who got separated from her mom. Where's Dani and mia? Where’s mom?”

“Already outside of the city.” He started. Nodding towards the passenger seat for clay. “You didn’t see the news this morning. Shit hit the fan a few hours ago. Inside those barriers they’re trying to stop the spread so they’re doing mass kills.” 

Getting in the car after tegan. The mom reached into the back to hold her youngests hand. “How do you know that?” The British mother asked as the door was closed. Lani and sapnap were in the very back, George getting in last. 

“I work in the government.” He shrugged before he started driving. “This has been an issue for almost a year. No one could find any sort of vaccine. So instead they let it get bad, when it got bad enough. They’re only solution was to eliminate most of the population.” 

More gunshots went off, they shook all the British people to their cores. It was so out of place for them to hear gunshots. Lani was still trying not to cry, holding her mom's hand while sapnap brought his hands up to cover her ears. Saying that everything was going to be okay. 

Shaking her head as she sat up in the bed. Breathing a little quickly. Everyone was traumatized but Lani was taking it hard. She never dreamed anymore, every time she went to sleep it was just a constant replay of what happened almost a year ago. Holding her head in her hands while she tried to ground herself. 

“Hey come on. Get ready, we’re going to Baltimore today.” A girl with blonde hair spoke excitedly as she jumped down from the top of the bunk. 

In this room, there were at least 5 bunk beds. Each was occupied by a different girl. Lani had the bunk closest to the floor, after the first week of being in this room, she fell off the top bunk and broke her wrist. That could have been because of her nightmares or the fact she just tossed and turned a lot in her sleep. 

Dani grabbed lanis hands, pulling the girl out of bed and out of the room. It was cold as hell in the school. It always was. Almost every night everyone would sleep in hoodies and at least two blankets. However the school was better than when they were camping in the ground a few weeks ago. 

“I thought we weren’t going until next week?” Lani asked the other girl as she let herself be dragging through the halls. 

“Dad said there was a change of plans. He thinks there might be a radio there.” 

Stopping at two lockers. Lani unlocked hers, the first night they spent here some of her stuff went missing. So to avoid that, Dream gave everyone a locker number and a lock. Inside her locker was the bag she wore back on the day of the outbreak. It had her lanyard with her old house keys on it. She kept it because it had a cardholder, holding a note with tubbos writing on it. It just had a a few emergency numbers and for shits and giggles tubbo wrote down coordinates to their home. In little writing it said ‘in case you ever get lost’. She missed her brother and dad a lot, she just wanted them back. She has a photo of the family in the card holder. Since she was too young to actually have her own cards, like a debit card and such. She just had her school ID and a picture of her family. 

“Why do we need a radio?” She took out a different bag. Each person had three sets of clothes for the winter. If they were traveling she would need all three and her pack from the locked room. 

“To see if anyone else survived. Like around the world, we don’t know if the outbreak got to them. It doesn’t hurt to see.” Dani shrugged a bit. “Besides I thought you hated this place. I figured you’d want to get out.” 

“Well you know, when a zombie apocalypse happens I didn’t think I’d still be forced to go to school.” 

“At least we’re learning useful things.” 

Rolling her eyes as she closed the locker again. Keeping the lanyard on her. She always did when she was awake. She'd lock it away just before lights out. 

“Yeah I don’t know about you, but I’d rather go back to learning math than learning to be a gardener.” 

The other shook her head again. Slightly pushing Lani as they started down the hallway to locker rooms. 

As soon as the breakout happened, clay's father headed up to Berlin, Maryland. There were certain small towns that were meant to be a backup safe place for important people. However. The ones they passed in the way here, they were abandoned and not trace of people. When they showed up here, there was a group of kids and a adults hiding out in the school basement. It took a few weeks of convincing, but they ended up building an actual community. It was still a work in progress but they were trying. 

“Good morning girls.” A man nodded to them as they passed after getting ready for the day. “Andrew is down by armoury.” 

“Thanks Jeff!” Dani waved. 

He would admit it, he was playing favourites. Any time they had to go on dangerous adventures and stuff, he always called on his kids first. To be completely fair, they held their own very well and excelled in all the training. He didn’t think that Lani would end up being as useful as she was if he was being honest. His daughter and Lani were the same age so they became pretty good friends. Fourteen years old and they were both really good with a gun, although lanis weapon of choice more often than not was a bow. It was silent and she never ran out of arrows, she would pick them up from the dead after she shot them. 

“Good morning.” Clay sitting in a chair in the office. Clearly waiting on his dad. “Sleep well?” 

“Absolutely not.” Lani answered back as she took a seat next to him. “You get to sleep in a warm house, we have to sleep in the school.” 

“We asked you if you wanted to stay with us or go to school.” 

“No you asked in a way that you knew we couldn’t say no.” She rolled her eyes. “When are we leaving?”

“As soon as dad can get the weapons out of the vault.” 

Not many words were spoken after that. Lani has kinda clinged to Clay and danis dad. She didn’t have a dad anymore and the man was treating her as if she was his kid. It had been just about a year since everything happened, around two months ago she accidentally called him dad while he was showing her how to gut an animal. He didn’t mind, he liked kids and liked Lani. She was a good kid who deserved a dad.

Lani proved herself a lot over the last year. She knew that her childhood was over. Everyone did. Tegan, Dani, and Lani all grew up very fast. When they showed up in the town, they were a part of the group that cleared out the buildings. Killing and getting rid of the bodies of the undead. They helped build the beds for the school. Then they knew they had to actually go to school so they did. It wasn’t so much a school, more a boot camp. 

“Oh you guys are coming too?” Mia, Clay's other sister, opened the door to the office. “Family bonding.”

“Shut up.” Clay rolled his eyes a bit. “It’s not bonding.” 

“No it’s not.” The father of the group spoke up as he put the bags on the floor. “I picked you guys to come with me because this is the only team there’s a guarantee no one will be left behind.” 

“We’ve been here for months dad. Is there really no one else you can trust?” 

“There is. But I choose not to.” He answered simply. “It should only be a two hour drive. Two separate cars like always. Dani and Mia are with me. Clay and Lani, were just waiting on sapnap and alex.”

“Alex is coming?” 

“Yes. Only because he’s basically engaged to sapnap. He’s technically family.” 

Lani was the first to pick up her bag. Looking inside it. It had one small pistol, a few rations from last time. The rations weren’t anything special. It was just a bag of nuts. She knew they would be stopping by the kitchen on their way out to get proper rations. Sometimes Lani would have to administer first aid while they were out so she had a first aid kit and pain medications. She had a knack for medical things. Andrew, clays dad, told her many times she should try being more involved with the medics of the community but she never wanted to. 

They only had to wait another ten minutes for the other two that are coming as well. If sapnap was being honest, he didn’t want Alex coming along. He wanted him to stay here. The gates were protective and he knew if Alex was inside the walls he’d be safe. But of course, Alex had to challenge everything sapnap said. 

“I call shot gun!” Alex always tried to get the front seat. Not because he actually wanted to but because he like messing with Lani sometimes. 

“Yeah right.” Clay shook his head. “You know the drill.”

“Shes the shortest. Why does she get the front seat.” 

“Because she’s a better shot that you.” Sapnap teased while he opened the door for Alex. 

“And clay likes me better than you.” She smiled at him before getting into the passenger seat. Having to step on the bar to get in. She was really quite small compared to the others. 

“Well that’s just mean.” Alex pouted a bit. 

“Shes right.” Clay teased as he started the truck. “I do like her better than you, however she’s basically my little sister. So there’s also that.” 

Alex started going on a little rant as Clay drove. Following his dads car. Eventually Lani reached forward and turned on the stereo. She was getting. A bit tired of hearing this boy complain about never getting the front seat. 

“Oh and now she is silencing me. Wow.”

“Yeah because we have two hours of this ride and I don’t want to listen to you complain about sitting in the back seat with your fiancée.” 

Changing the subject, sapnap wanted to know why they were going to Baltimore. If he was being honest, he didn’t pay much attention when people explained things. 

“Why are we going to Baltimore anyway?” 

“It’s a port town. Cargo and shit goes there, they most likely have a long distance radio we can use. try to contact someone. Just to know if we’re the last like civil societies.” Clay shrugged a little. “I don’t know. There might also be useful supplies in the cargo ships. That’s why we have the trucks.” 

Sapnap just nodded accepting the answer. Quiet again as they drove. All they could hear was Lani humming along to the song and every once and while she would use the walkie to talk to dani. 

They really did become best friends. 

“Stay close.” Andrew spoke. Looking at the group. “Clay, take your group and check that side. Check the ships for radios that work, and medical supplies.” 

Clay nodded as he went to head off into the other direction. “Guns are last resort only.” 

They all knew how bad it looked to have two young girls in each team. Trailing behind the older ones. However arguable the two youngest where the best shots. 

Lani could see two ships. Knowing that at ports they didn’t always have ships. Usually the ship would drop off their stuff and continue on. But there was one that looked much different. Instead of a regular cargo ship it has a flat surface with a plane or two on it. She could hear sapnap and Clay opening cargo containers. Alex holding up his rifle as he kept watch. None of them paying attention to the teenager.

“What’s that?” Lani stopped. The others kept walking not hearing her. She watched as she opened another cargo container. “Guys.”

“What?” Sapnap looked at Lani. 

“That ship. It doesn’t Look like the other cargo ships. There’s a plane on it.” 

Pointing towards it before she started walking. She did that a lot, it would probably come to bite her in the ass one day. She wandered and no one could stop her. One of the only medically trained professionals back at the town told Andrew and her mum that it was because of her trauma. She didn’t think it was, she just liked to explore. 

“Lani.” Clay whispered yelled. “Lani! Stop just walking off.”

She didn’t listen to him. She kept walking. Having her bow pulled back and ready as she stepped closer to the ship. There were a few of the undead. Aiming easily for the head. More specifically the eye. One of her arrows went through the eye of one of them, watching as the body fell. She pulled in the chain around its neck. Reading the dog tags. 

“Lani.” Clay pulled her away from the body. Taking the tags from her hands. “Do you want to die?” 

“Im fine.” 

“But there was a small chance you couldn’t have been.” He hated being physical with the people he cared about. However Lani didn’t listen to him. She almost never did. “You can go off in your own in an unknown area. I know you think your invincible because your fourteen but you aren’t.”

She just rolled her eyes. “Are you done?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Okay. So that’s a us marine ship. I don’t know if you know, but they used to be part of the navy. But they have air forces, weapons, and more importantly nurses and doctors on their ships. Medical supplies.” 

Clay gave her a look. She was resourceful. Always reading and soaking in any and all knowledge she could. She was a know it all and she had no shame about it. She knew she was smart. 

“What are we looking for? A radio and medical supplies. I can ensure there is grade A medical supplies on the ship. And by the look of it, they all died.” 

“This litlle act you have going on is going to get you killed one day.” 

She yanked her arm away from him. “You don’t get to talk to me like that. I’m very thankful you kept me and my mom and my sister alive. And I consider you family. But you do not get to speak down to me like that. It doesn’t matter than I’m 14 and your 21. We went through the same shit.”

“Language.” Clay interrupted her. 

“We went through the same shit. Your just mad because I found this and you didn’t.” Taking the radio from clays pocket. “Even though it’s a giant ass ship and it’s very hard to miss. Stop talking to me like your my brother. You’ll never be tubbo.” 

“Lani. You know I’m not trying to replace him.” 

Taking the arrow from the dead body, she wiped it off before putting it back into her quiver.

“Remind me never to get on her bad side.” Alex mumbled. Watching the fourteen year old take her knife from the holder on her leg and stab the other undead in the dead with ease. “Shes scary.” 

“Shes a traumatized kid.” 

“A scary traumatized kid.” Sapnap added. “Don’t take it personally. She woke up in a mood.” 

“I know how to take care of my sisters.” Clay muttered before following the girl. 

Lani radioed to the other group, telling them they found a marine ship. After that they went radio silent. If she was being honest she liked going in these missions because she got to let out a lot of anger. She was mad that she left her dad and tubbo, she was mad that the world is the way it is. She was mad at herself for not being better. She always felt like she needed to prove herself to people now. Knowing they’d probably cut off the weakest link if they had to. 

She couldn’t be the weakest link. She wouldn’t allow it.


	3. Normalcy

His movements were quick. He felt a shift in the floor and he snapped awake. The boy screamed, obviously he wasn’t expecting Tommy to react how he did.

This kid was tall. Like giant. He was holding a change of clothes, light brown hair and he was dressed in a simple black hoodie and jeans. He had a fear in his eyes, completely unarmed. 

“Who are you?” Tommy spoke quietly as he held the knife he had pulled out of his pack. “Where is tubbo?” 

“He’s downstairs. He’s helping my sister make breakfast. I’m ranboo.”

“Tommy put the knife down.” A oldermans voice was heard, again it was his father. “You can’t just threaten anyone you don’t know.” 

“People I don’t know shouldn’t be sneaking in whilst I’m sleeping.” 

Removing the knife, he felt bad. It was just a quick movement and there was a small cut on his throat. Nothing serious there was barely blood coming from it. Nonetheless, he felt bad. He was just on edge after everything that happened. Techno told tommy to always keep his weapons sharp and in good condition.

“Nikki asked me to bring you clothes. I didn’t know if you were still sleeping I was just trying to be quiet. I’m sorry.” 

“Ranboo you have nothing to be sorry for.” Phil shook his head. No one noticed last night but Phil was walking with a limp. “Go tell your sister that tommy will be down soon.” 

The tallest just nodded and left. Leaving the father and son alone. He lowered himself carefully onto the bed, holding a first aid kid. 

“What happened to you.” 

“What do you mean?” Phil asked while he gently took a hold on Tommy’s arm. Unwrapping the bandage that had been secured there last night. 

“Your limping.” 

“I tripped over one of their traps.” He shrugged and looked back at his son after getting alcohol swabs. “They heard Wilbur and techno yelling at each other about how to get my ankle out and of course it attracted some of those dead fuckers. Niki and her brothers got me out and brought us back here. They said they felt bad and they didn’t mind giving us shelter since they had lost a few people a couple of months ago and had food to spare.” 

“Who did they loose?” 

Tommy was trying to talk about anything but his cut. He knew his dad had to clean it but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. 

“They’re father and sister.” She shrugged. “They didn’t talk about it too much. I think they lost a friend too. Mum was never around before the outbreak.” 

“Oh.” He looked down at Phil’s working hands. He was carefully cleaning the stitches before starting to wrap it up again. “That’s sad.” 

“It is.” Phil nodded. “But we’re out of the city now. And niki says we can still as long as we’d like.” 

“How long will that be?” 

“I haven’t decided yet. Definitely until you're healed.” 

“What was the plan?” 

Phil stopped as he was putting things away he had used. “What plan?” 

“After we got out of the city. What was the plan.” 

He just shrugged. He wasn’t going to lie he hadn’t thought about after, he was only focused on not being in a city anymore. 

“Safety. That was it, that town had so many of things I couldn’t account for. No actual sense of safety.” Patting the boys shoulder before getting up. “Go get washed up, they have running water. Actually, nikki said to take a bath because of your stitches. Please be careful of them.” 

“How am I meant to- nevermind.” Getting out of the bed. Tommy looked at the clothes that were left for him. Making a bit of face when he looked at sizing . They meant well. He knew that these were ranboos clothes just because the height that kid had on him. “These won’t fit.”

“Why not?” 

“Because I’m not a giant and I’m half the size of that ranboo dude.” 

“These are just so nikki can wash your clothes.” Phil sighed. “It’ll be an hour at most.” 

Grumbling as he picked up the clothes. He didn’t asked where the bathroom was he just assumed he would find it eventually. 

Of course his mother was babying him. Tommy was her second youngest kid. And he didn’t have a full range of his arm with the stitches in. His mother helped him wash the filth off of him, only his top half. Given he couldn’t wash his hair himself. 

“Close your eyes.” She hummed while she was getting shampoo out of the bottle. “I remeber doing this for you when you were young. You hated sitting still for too long:” 

“I still do.” He leaned his head back as he closed his eyes. “Do you ever miss it?” 

“Miss what?” 

“Me being small?” Opening one eye to look at her. Closing it again when he saw the look on her face. It was easier to ask her questions if he couldn’t see how she was staring at him. 

“All the time. Not because I’m not proud of the man you’re becoming. I just miss being taller than you and being able to scoop you up. But all good things come to an end.” 

He huffed a little. He knew he was a trouble teen. No one ever really wanted to deal with him. It was always ‘tommy your being loud’ and ‘why can’t you just listen for once.” 

“When one things ends another starts. When you started growing up people said you were hot headed and annoying. But all I saw was someone who has so much passion in them, someone who would never ever be spoken over or let someone speak down to them.I miss my baby, but I miss your brothers also being babies. I’m always gonna miss my babies, but I’m never going to trade who you have become for a fresh start. I would rather eat a moldy sandwich then have you magically turn back into a baby.” 

“You mean it?” He asked opening one eye again. She was smiling this time. 

“Of course. Who else would tell me horrid knock knock jokes during our hikes?” 

He laughed a bit. Closing his eyes again as she poured water over his hair. He loved his mom, he loved his family. They made him feel safe and secure. But he wouldn't hesitate going against his morals for them. 

“I love you mum.” 

“I love you too tommy.” 

It got quiet while she was finishing up his hair. Just humming softly like she would when he was little. She wasn’t in the bathroom for much longer. Just helping him wash his upper body where he couldn’t reach and then leaving him to finish up. Before leaving she changed the water, tommy was really quite dirty. But that’s inevitable. 

After he was done, tommy threw on the clothes given to him. Having to pull the strings in the sweat pants as tight as possible since they didn’t want to stay up. The sweater was nice. It was big and warm, he might just end up stealing it. 

“Good morning.” Tubbo smiled and immediately went to hug tommy. “My god you sleep for so long.” 

“Sorry.” He mumbled as he hugged back. Looking at ranboo was sitting at the table while another boy, tommy didn’t know, was cleaning the cut on his neck and putting a bandage on it. “Sorry about that.” 

“It’s fine.” Ranboo shrugged a bit. “People have done worse.” 

The room moved past what ranboo said. They all knew it was true. Tubbo was quick to hand tommy a plate, it made him slightly uncomfortable how they had so much food. 

“Can I ask an question?” He asked while he liked at niki who was cooking as if there was a breakout of zombies outside. 

“Don’t be a dick about it and sure.” Wilbur spoke up first. 

He made a face at wilbur. He just wanted to know what was going on here. Why they were so prepared for all this. It was weird. 

“How are you guys able to have all this?” 

“Have all what? Our house?” The boy tommy didn’t know asked. “Our dad was crazy.” 

“Jack.” Ranboo looked at him. “Don’t speak ill of the dead.” 

“What he was. We’ve lived here as long as I can remeber. He taught us how to hunt and other survival skills. He would buy things in bulk and hide them in the basement. He has security measures in place in case of a dooms day.” 

Nikki sighed. “And look at where we are now. We’re still alive and have what we need to last us for a at least a few more years. Dad might have been crazy but we have to thank him for what he did for us.” 

“I’m just saying. We didn’t have normal childhoods because of him.” Jack shook his head. “I know he was just skeptical man and we are surviving because of that. Doesn’t mean I have to like what he did to us.” 

“Jack stop it.” 

“I’m done anyway.” He took off the gloves and threw them into a small bag along with the scraps from patching up his little brother. 

Tubbo and tommy watched him get up. Leaving the room in what seemed to be a fit of rage. 

“What did your dad do?” Techno asked. It was easy to say he was little emotionally inept. He didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to so certain things. “Sorry.” 

Mumbling as he rubbed his arm. Wilbur having smacked him pretty hard. While techno want emotionally inept, Wilbur felt things way much and too hard compared to his twin. 

“It wasn’t that bad.” Ranboo started but got interrupted. 

“To you maybe. You were younger than us, not to mention dad’s favorite.” 

“Okay but I still had to go through all the things you did.” 

Nikki rubbed her face after putting down the spatula. “He would make us up at four am every morning. We’d have to go for runs and go through physical training. Then he’d make us hunt for our dinners some nights. In the moment it was really bad. But now, I don’t really mind. He ended up being right about things and now we’re able to fend for ourselfs. Is not as bad as it could have been.” 

“That’s intense.” Wilbur mumbled. “And I thought what our dad subjected us to was intense.”

“I can be intense but never that intense. I’m sorry you had to go through that nikki.” Phil looked at the girl. 

“It’s fine.” She shrugged before we went back to cooking. “Tommy you should eat.” 

He just nodded at the words she said. Not actually making an effort to do what she said. Unlike tubbo he was self conscious about eating.

“Hey why don’t we go eat outside?” Wilbur got up. His plate was no where near empty. “Come on. It’s really pretty during the morning.” 

“It’s cold out.” Kristin spoke. “Grab your jackets please.” 

Wilbur just nodded and waited for Tommy to follow. And he did, tommy followed his older brother. Holding Wilburs plate when he asked. Watching him grab their jackets before heading out to the porch. Everyone else seemed to go back to what they were doing. Tubbo went back to helping nikki cook for the others in the house, Phil and Kristin were spending time with their youngest while she was reading. Techno of course was cleaning his weapons. 

“Did you sleep well?” Wilbur watched Tommy sit. Putting a jacket around his shoulders as he sat next to him.

Hs shrugged a little. “As okay as I can in a forgien place.” 

“We only sleep in foreign places.” 

“True.” 

Sitting in the steps to the house. Tommy and Wilbur talked quietly between themselves. Wilbur could pretend all he wanted but the one person in the world he would give his life for was tommy. He loved his family, no doubt about that. However, tommy was like a mini him. He saw everything good in Tommy and held him close to his heart. He could remeber little bits and pieces of Tommy’s childhood. Remembering how kids would bully him for the dumbest things, how he would always call out for his older brothers to help him. 

“I’m really proud of you.” Pushing the eggs around on the plate. “I know it’s sucks. I know your supposed to be sixteen and looking forward to school and prom. But you did good. Even if you didn’t find any food, you were still trying.” 

“I shouldn’t have to try.” Tommy spoke after he swallowed the small bite. 

“I know.” He nodded again. “The world changed so fast. And you’ve become so strong” 

Tommy was just angry. Both him and tubbo were. Tubbo seemed to be better at hiding it howerver. 

“I shouldn’t have to be strong. I should have been safe. My biggest concerns should have been college and if minecraft was going to actually update to what they said.” He looked down at the plate again. The food seemed so daunting. He didn’t want to eat. He wanted to just waste away the day and sleep. “I hate it here.” 

“I know. I do too.” 

A silence washed over them as they sat on the porch. Equally angry at the world, sadly neither of them got to fall apart. They didn’t get to be depressed. They didn’t have time to be. 

It could have been ten minutes or an hour. Tommy wasn’t sure. His sense of time had been warped and he didn’t know what time it was at any given moment. Half of Tommy’s plate was gone, all of wilburs was. 

“Who’s that?” Tommy whispered as he looked at the person walking towards the gate. 

“Fucking hell. They look bloody terrifying.” 

The two watched as they were dragging something behind them. Stopping to open the gate, stopping again when they make eye contact with the two boys. Holding a cross bow, their hood over their head. Having a rile hanging off their shoulder. They were tall, not taller than Tommy and Wilbur but still tall. 

“Who the fuck are you?” Pulling off their hood. 

“Oh that whole woman.” Tommy said surprised. 

Groaning when Wilbur smacked him upside the head. “As opposed to what? Half a woman?” 

“Hey. Gender a spectrum Wilbur” 

“Shut up.” Wilbur shook his head as he shoved his little brother.

Tommy gasped loudly, shoving him back “What I’m right!” 

“Your such a dickhead.” The older brothers shook his head more as he pushing the others head. Turning the little argument into a little fight 

“I’m not the dickhead. Your the dichead.” 

“Oi! Don’t call me a dickhead.”

The woman watched the two of them push each other and repeating the word dickhead over and over. Crossing her arms a bit as she dropped the handle to the wagon she was pulling towards the house. 

“If you two don’t stop I’m going to put an arrow through one of you to shut you up.” 

They stopped what they were doing. The door behind them opened. They had no idea who this woman was, Wilbur hasn’t seen her in the few days that they had been here. 

“Minx! Your back!” The door flung open. Stepping down, nikki immediately brough the taller lady into a hug. “You were gone for so long this time.” 

She hugged back before looking behind her again. “Who these dickheads.” 

“Hey! Ive done nothing to you lady.” 

“Your annoying that’s enough to be a dickhead.” 

“This is tommy and Wilbur. A few days ago they’re dad set off one our traps and he got hurt. We’re giving they’re family safety since we have the supplies to spare.”

Minx looked at the boys. She just shrugged a bit before reaching into her pocket. Handing nikki a small item and whispering in her ear. 

“Thank you.” Nikki smiled more at her. Giving her another hug before running back inside. 

“Your dad got hurt?” 

“Yeah his ankle got caught in one of the deer traps.” 

“Did he get treated yet?” She dropping the handle to the wagon. “What happened to you arm?” 

Tommy looked up again. Stuttering over his words. “Oh I’m. I don’t know if he’s been treated. I got caught on sharp metal. Nikki gave me some stitches.” 

“Our dad hasn’t been treated. They said it’s most likely just a sprain.” Wilbur answered her first question. 

Minx just nodded and went inside. Leaving the two of them outside. Tommy was staring at the wagon, wanting to know what was in it but he didn’t look. They didn’t have to get up to see. 

“Oh my god.” Wilbur looked at the puppies, there were three of them. “What kinda puppy is that?” 

“How the fuck am I meant to know?” 

“Don’t be like that. I know you know your dog breeds.” wilbur looked at him excpactantly. He knew Tommy knew, he knew that Tommy loved animals. “Come on.”

Sighing before he spoke. “ i think bernese mountain dog.” 

“Cute.” wilbur picked one up as he stopped at his feet.

The both looked at the puppies. Not even noticing the door open again. Minx coming back to grab what she left there. Watching the two boys hold the puppy’s. Deciding what she needed could wait. She didn’t know them but it wasn’t hard to tell they needed a moment to forget about the world and just hold puppies. 

Another twenty minutes passed, Tommy was cold and his food was completely cold. At least most of his food was gone. Wilbur carried the plates back inside, tommy followed holding all three of the pups. 

“Oh my god.” Tubbo mumbled. “Are those puppies?” 

“I found them in an abandoned shed a couple kilometres out. They’re mum is dead I’m assuming, I waited for her to come back for a few days but she didn’t.” Minx held her hand out for one. “Cute aren’t they?” 

In the twenty minutes they were outside, minx befriended the youngest child. Elise was giggling loudly as she started petting the puppy. Minx was good with kids. She might be aggressive and mean, but never without reason and never to children. 

“I love him.” 

“Her.” Minx corrected the five year old. “This pup is a girl.” 

“I love her.” She looked like she was about to explode from happiness. Minx placed the pup on her lap. “Can I name her?” 

“Of course.” 

Kristin watched the energy in the room rise. Everyone seemed to be in a better mood because of the dogs. Tommy especially, he was holding one of the pups while tubbo was petting its head. Smiling so big as Tommy and tubbo were talking about the dog. He seemed like he wasn’t going to let go of it. 

“I feel like if I try to take him away from those two I’m going to lose a hand.” Minx whispered to techno. 

“Yeah best not to.” 

Maybe Tommy wouldn’t hate it here for much longer. It would take some getting used to. But for now, the family was safe in this new place.


End file.
